Opposites Attract
by Elsa Snow Queen of Arendelle
Summary: They go to the same school, but don't really know each other. An awkward meeting in detention can change that. (Rating set at T, might change later.)
1. Chapter 1

**Summary: They go to the same school, but don't really know each other. An awkward meeting in detention can change that.**

**...**

Detention. Again. Nothing new, just the same damn thing. This time, for the second time this month, a food fight in the cafeteria. So, the blonde sat in the empty classroom, her eyes watching the clock and waiting for three thirty to come. It was two fifteen. Ugh.

"You don't understand!" a high voice said in the hallway. "This is a mistake!"

The class door opened and a girl with red hair backed into the room, a teacher in front of her. The blonde tuned her attention to them.

"Look, I was just told to put you here." the teacher said. "Now sit down and serve your detention."

"But-" the red head began, but the teacher had closed the door already. The girl pouted, like she was about to cry, and sat down.

The blonde studied the girl curiously. She was more like a Barbie-type girl, minus the bright red hair. She was really pretty, and seemed to stand at average height. "Hey."

The other girl jumped, finally noticing the blonde's presence. "Me?"

"No, the other red head behind you." the blue-eyed girl remarked with a roll of her eyes. "Yes, you. What's your name?"

"Caterina Valentine." the girl said. "But all my friends call me Cat."

"I'm Sam Puckett." the blonde said, sticking her hand out for Cat to shake. Cat hesitantly took it.

"Nice to meet you, Sam." she said.

"You don't look like detention material." Sam observed.

"I'm not." Cat tucked a stray red lock of hair behind her ear. "It's a mistake."

"How do you get into detention by accident?" Sam mused with a teasing smile, chuckling.

"It's a long story." Cat said. "My friend Jade got me involved with something."

Sam nodded. "I see."

"Hey, what grade are you in?" Cat asked suddenly. "I've never seen you around."

Sam kicked her feet up on the desk next to her. "Senior, you?"

"Junior." Cat answered.

"That explains it." Sam stated.

Cat nodded in agreement, an awkward silence settling between them. Sam took interest in something that was stuck to the bottom of her shoe. Cat watched her, awkwardly intrigued by this girl she knew absolutely nothing about. There was something about the atmosphere around Sam. Cat didn't understand it at all.

The alarming ring of the fire alarm shocked her out of her trance. She jumped up out of her seat, ready to bolt for the door. She noticed that Sam, on the other hand, seemed rather calm, a small smile on her face.

"It's about time." she said, putting her feet down.

"What's going on?" Cat cried over the wailing siren, but the sound drowned out her voice.

The door handle jiggled, like someone was picking the lock, and the door swung open. A brunette girl wearing a black beanie and in a tank top and jeans rushed in, screwdriver in hand.

"Carly!" Sam said, approaching her.

"Come on," Carly said with an urging wave of her hand.

"What's going on?!" Cat repeated, now nervous.

Sam grabbed her wrist. "Just get a move on."

Without anymore questions, Cat let Sam lead her out the class and down the hall. Something about her made it nearly impossible for Cat not to trust her.

"Where's Freddie?" Sam asked the brunette.

"He's the one who pulled the alarm." Carly explained. "He'll meet us."

"You broke her out of detention?" Cat asked.

"Who's the chick?" Carly asked as they rounded a corner, looking back at the red head.

"I'm Cat." Cat responded.

"She's a junior." Sam added. "Don't worry about it."

A boy with brown hair appeared at the other end of the hall. He kept pace with them, looking a bit frightened.

"Freddie?" Carly said to him.

"They know the alarm is fake." Freddie said. "We gotta go."

They ran down another hall and somehow made it out the door to the outside. Sam let go off Cat's wrist.

"This is where we split, kid." she said. She nodded her head to the side. "Best for you to go home."

"But what about tomorrow?" Cat said, her voice trembling.

"Don't worry about it." Sam replied with a lopsided, reassuring smile. She and her friends started running up the street. "Later, red!"

"It's Cat!" Cat said on instinct, but found herself wanting to smile.

"Red's better!"

Cat watched as they disappeared up the street and sighed. Deciding to follow Sam's advice, she headed home wondering if she'd see her again.

**...**


	2. Chapter 2

**Welcome to chapter 2 reader! I hope you're enjoying the story so far! I have a great feeling about this one!**

**...**

**Chapter 2: We Meet Again**

Cat walked into school the next day, nervous about the events of the previous day. She imagined teachers coming up to her and dragging her off to the office. Thinking of her perfect attendance, she was worried about being suspended. But, so far, none of that happened.

"Hey, Red!"

That voice. Cat turned around and saw Sam coming up to her. She almost smiled. Sam slung her arm over Cat's shoulders.

"What's up?" She said.

"Not much." Cat said.

"No one's said anything?"

Cat shook her head. Her gaze fell on her peers and she suddenly felt subconscious. "Aren't you worried about what the seniors will say about you talking to a junior?"

Sam shrugged. "Nah. Most of them are scared of me, so..." She looked around and her voice dropped. "Speaking of that, some of us are sneaking off during freshman lunch. You in?"

Cat looked at her in disbelief. A senior asking her, a junior, to hang out with her? Her mouth fell open to reply, but she was interrupted by a teacher.

"Puckett!" he said as he approached, jabbing a finger in Sam's direction. "What are you doing in this hall? Seniors are the opposite direction, not that I would expect you to know that. Considering how many absents you have on your record."

Sam kept a cool composure, but sent an icy glance at the teacher as she retracted her arm from around Cat. "For your information, Mr. Sully, I was talking to my friend Cat here."

Mr. Sully scoffed at the word 'friend'. "You need to keep better company." Cat blushed subtly and Mr. Sully turned back on Sam. "Get to class. Now."

"Alright, alright." Sam looked at Cat before disappearing into the crowd behind her. "Freshman lunch."

Cat bit her lip and went on to class, wondering if (a slightly hoping that) Sam was serious.

…

It was second period, almost freshman lunch. Cat was nervous. _Very_ nervous. She wanted so badly to go with Sam, but she was afraid of this going on her record if anyone found out. Worst of all, she was worried about it being a big setup for embarrassment. Seniors did it to lower classmen all the time. It was the biggest prank around the school. Though…something kept telling her that Sam was the real deal, that she was sincere. They really only just met yesterday, but some part of Cat liked her. She had no idea why. And she wanted to find out. She raised her hand.

"Yes, Miss Valentine?" the teacher asked.

"M-may I go to the bathroom?" Cat asked.

"Class is almost over, but sure." the teacher said.

Cat gathered her things, knowing that if she chickened out at the last minute she couldn't get her stuff. With tentative feet, she stepped out into the hall. It was silent. She could feel and hear the pounding of her heart. The classroom door closing behind her made her jump. She wished Sam had told her where they were meeting. She tiptoed down the hall. The quiet was really starting to get to her, and she did not do well under pressure. The last time she was under pressure, she fainted. Cat tried thinking of all the possible locations the Sam could be waiting. She probably thought she wasn't coming. The first location she thought of was where they had escaped the day before. It seemed like the ideal rendezvous point. And, just by luck, she remembered where it was. It was all the way down the E wing towards the back of the school. Cat was in the A wing. Deciding it was best to make haste, she hurried down the halls to the E wing. If she kept pace, she'd be there in a few minutes. She just had to beat-

_RIIIIIING!_

The bell! The classroom doors opened and students poured into the hall, heading to their next class or lunch if they were freshman. Cat was shoved this way and that as she stumbled towards the back of the school. She was so close…

She practically fell through the double doors, just barely catching herself before standing up straight.

"Cat!"

Cat looked up to find Sam smiling down at her. A few other kids were surrounding her, two guys and another girl, including the two Cat had "met" the other day, Carly and Freddie. Carly was still wearing that beanie and had a bottle of _Schneider's Ginger Ale_ in her left hand. Her right was linked with Freddie's, who was quizzically staring at Cat. One of the other two boys was smoking a cigarette, the other one was standing up and looking off into the distance. The girl was texting on her phone.

"I was startin' to think you bailed on me." Sam said, patting Cat on the shoulder and steering her towards the group.

"What are you thinking, inviting a _junior_ here?" the boy that was just staring in the opposite direction said, an annoyed look on his face. "I thought you were cooler than that, Puckett."

"Shut it, Jonah." Sam shot at him. She arched an eyebrow in his direction. "She _is_ cool. Ain't that right, Cat?"

"O-Oh, um, yeah." Cat stuttered. She was starting to feel dizzy. Oh, no. She was starting to feel pressured. "I'm-I'm cool."

Sam shook her head, but gave a small smile. She gestured to the others. "Cat, that's Eric," – she pointed to the boy that was just stomping out his cigarette- "Jonah, Emily," –the girl on her phone looked up and smiled a bit, nodding at Cat- "and you already pretty much know Carly and Freddie."  
"Hey." Carly said.

"'Sup?" Freddie responded.

"Hi." Cat said.

Sam moved out from behind Cat and stood in front of her, opening her arms out wide. "Allow me to introduce The Outcasts." She bowed slowly and the others whooped in agreement. Sam's proud eyes rested on Cat. "What'd ya think?"

Cat's gaze swept over each and every one of them, lingering a bit longer on Sam. She didn't know what to think, to be honest. She put her backpack down by the wall. "I don't know."

"It's cool, Red." Sam chuckled, the nickname causing a twinge in Cat. "You don't gotta think anything. That's what we're best at, anyway."

"So, I'm an Outcast?" Cat asked. She meant it as a joke, but Jonah didn't.

"You think it's funny, redhead?" he spat.

"Yo, chill." Eric said, standing up and laying a hand on Jonah's shoulder.

"She was joking." Emily said. She brushed a dirty blonde lock of hair out from in front of her green eyes. "Weren't you, Cat?"

Cat nodded. "Yeah."

Sam rolled her eyes. "Don't mind him. He's a bit of a hothead. But yeah. You're one of us if you wanna be."

Cat giggled uneasily but her heart settled, finally feeling welcome. Sam clapped her hands together and faced everyone. "So, who has the stuff?"

Carly smiled and reached behind her, pulling out a small portable cooler. "Right here, Sammy." She handed the cooler to Sam who put it down and opened it, revealing a bunch of food and drinks. And a couple bottles of alcohol. Cat's stomach lurched. She'd never tasted beer, though her father tended to drink it often. All she knew was that it didn't smell very appealing.

Sam took out the bottles and tossed them to Eric and Freddie.

"Nice score, Sam." Freddie praised, reading the bottle. "Where'd ya get it?"

"Talked to Socko. He got it from his friend Buzz." Sam replied as she pulled out a few cups. She offered one to Cat.

"Oh, I don't drink." Cat said.

"Seriously?" Sam teased. Her eyes sparkled with a playful light. "You got a lot to learn in order to run with this crowd." She passed out the rest of the cups and gave Cat and orange _Squeeze_ brand soda. **(A/N: Instead of Crush, get it? Not funny? Okay.)** Giving a thankful smile, Cat took the can.

…

Towards the end of the freshman lunch, they started to pack up. The only ones that seemed even the slightest drunk were Jonah and possibly Eric. But they weren't stumbling or slurring, so they'd probably be fine going back to class.

As they started to dissolve into separate parts of the school, Sam hooked her arm around Cat and whispered "Not bad for a newbie.", then let go and disappeared like before.

Rethinking what had occurred in her time outside, Cat smiled to herself. Sam's words resounded in her mind: _"You're one of us if you wanna be."_

**…**

**And that's it for chapter two! I really really really hoped you enjoyed it! Chapter three will be up in due time!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Yes, chapter 3! Something tells me this story will be longer than my other one ****_Better Left Unsaid_**** (which, by the way, if you haven't read it please do!), simply because I have so many ideas and so many roads I want to go down and experience writing! Most of them inspired by true events and others from raw imagination xD.**

**...**

"Hello? Earth to Cat?"

Cat jumped, shaking her head distractedly. Her eyes raised to her friend Tori's amused ones. "Huh?"

Tori smiled. "You gotta focus on your lines." She tapped the script in her hand. "Sikowitz said be off script by Friday."

"Y-yeah. I know." Cat answered. She had been thinking about Sam, for some reason. She couldn't seem to get those eyes out of her head. That was new.

"What were you thinking about?" Tori asked, her head tipping to the side.

"Sam." Cat admitted before she could stop herself.

"The senior." Tori said in a mock scoff. "I can't believe you trust a senior."

"She trusts me." Cat pointed out. "And Trina's a senior, but you still trust her."

"But she's my sister." Tori said, immediately shooting Cat's pride down. Seeing Cat's face fall made her sigh and she laid a gentle hand on the smaller girl's shoulder. "Look, you know what I mean. All I'm saying is I think you're in way over your head. You've known this girl for how long?"

"Two days." Cat said.

"Exactly. And things can change."

Cat's bottom lip fell open to protest, but Tori's doorbell went off. "Ding-dong." she said.

"Why do you do that?" Tori questioned.

"Do what?" Cat asked.

Staring at her friend curiously, Tori went to answer her door. She opened it, and there stood a raven-haired girl with purple highlights. "Jade! It's about time; you were supposed to be here fifteen minutes ago!"

"I arrive on my own time." Jade said, walking past Tori and up to Cat. "But enough about my lateness. I want to hear about you, Kitty Cat."

"What about me?" Cat said, feeling her cheeks flush.

"I hear you have a new little girl-toy." Jade teased, a cackle hidden somewhere in her tone. Her smirk widened when Cat looked down. "What's her name?"

"She's not my girl-toy, and her name's Sam." Cat answered quietly.

"Sam!" Jade crowed. "She pretty?"

Cat shrugged. "I guess."

"Let me guess: senior, blonde hair, blue eyes, rowdy group of friends?"

Cat's head snapped up. "How did you-"

"I have my ways, you've got yours. And you shouldn't be talking to seniors."

"Why not?" Cat said.

"Oookay." Tori said, breaking up the interrogation. "We have less than two days to get this script memorized, so let's get started."  
Jade rolled her eyes and put down the bag she had slung over her shoulder. She dug through it, pulling out the packet. While doing so, she gave Cat a look that said _'The conversation's not over.'_ Cat swallowed nervously.

After the rehearsal, Cat announced she needed to get home.

"Well, I'd be happy to drive you." Jade offered, her eyebrow rising in challenge.

"Thanks, Jade." Cat said, already knowing what would be coming. "But I don't think-"

"Oh, c'mon. You never minded a ride before." Jade said.

_And you never minded your own business._ Cat thought but didn't say. "Okay."

Jade smiled and opened the front door, walking out with Cat tailing behind. Tori gave her a _'Good luck'_ glance and Cat pouted as she ducked out the doorway. Jade unlocked her car and got in the driver seat, Cat climbing into the passenger. Biting her lip, she gazed out the window as Jade steered away from the curb and onto the street.

"So, Cat." Jade said.

Cat rolled her eyes and turned to face her friend. "Jade, can we _please_ leave this alone? So Sam's a senior, who cares?"

"_I _care." Jade answered, the anger in her voice startling Cat. She stole a glance at the smaller girl. "Do you _know _what happens to everyone lower than a senior that interacts with them?"

"I do." Cat replied strongly. "But Sam-"

"Don't try that 'she's different' crap with me." Jade groaned.

Cat pouted, her eyes watering. She turned away, looking back out the window. "She is."

Jade didn't say anything. She was more shocked than annoyed. Cat's determination to try and convince her that Sam wasn't what every other senior was like was..well...surprising. She'd never seen her usually bubbly and fun friend this way. She turned up the street Cat lived on and into the driveway. As Cat went to open the door, she reached over and blocked the handle. "All I'm trying to say is don't let her drag you in over your head. You _will_ end up hurt."

Cat looked at Jade doubtfully before shoving her hand out the way and leaving the car. She didn't do her normal skip up to the door of her apartment. She instead dragged her feet, glancing back soon enough to watch Jade's car disappear into the night.

**...**

**Why is Jade so determined to make sure Cat watches her back around Sam? All will be revealed later on! Plus, this was a filler chapter, sorry if you're disappointed, reader.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Sorry for the long wait, I've been working on the requested story by user Torigagged! It's for the next chapter in my Keyword Challenge! Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy this new installment of Opposites Attract!**

**...**

"Nona, I'm home!" Cat announced, walking in through the front door of her apartment.

"Oh, Cat, dear!" her Nona said, glancing up at her from the kitchen. "I was getting worried about you!"

Cat smiled sweetly and went to give her Nona a kiss on the cheek. "I'm sorry, I was still rehearsing at Tori's house."

"How was it?" Nona asked.

"It was okay. We have a lot of work to do, though, if we're gonna be off script by Friday." Cat sighed, not bothering to mention the discussion with Jade in the car.

Nona patted her arm reassuringly. "Don't worry, dear. I'm sure you'll be ready."

Cat smiled and looked down at the chicken on the tray in front of them. "What are you making?"

"Your favorite; baked chicken with cheese covered broccoli and mashed potatoes." Nona explained. "Which reminds me, who is this new friend you've made at school?"

Cat froze. "How did you-"

"TheSlap." her Nona answered.

Cat's hand smacked against her forehead. "You have an account on TheSlap?"

"Well, of course!" Nona said like there was no problem. "So, who's the friend?"

"Her name is Sam." Cat began, knowing there was no way around the conversation. "She's a senior at the school."

"Is she nice? What's she look like?"

"As far as I know, she is. She's blonde and she has blue eyes." Cat's voice unintentionally caught a dream edge and she stopped herself. "She, um, introduced me to some of her friends today."

"What are they like?" Nona questioned.

Cat automatically thought of Jonah's attitude and rudeness towards her, but shook it off. It wasn't worth the time. "They're okay. They call themselves the Outsiders."

"The Outsiders? That's an interesting club name."

"Well, they're not exactly a club. They're a-" The phone ringing interrupted Cat's sentence.

Nona checked the caller I.D. "Oh, it's Julie. I'd better take this." She picked up the phone. "Hello?.."

Cat sighed and went ahead to room to get started on her homework. She had an essay that was due. She lugged her backpack with her, dropping it on the floor by her bed. She sat down and opened it, taking out her pink cupcake and kitten decorated laptop and setting it on her lap. She logged on and, out of habit, started a group chat with her friends. They were all signed on.

_ -Hey.-_ she typed.

Her laptop chimed

_**Robbie:** Hey, Little Red._

Cat chucked. Robbie was always first to answer.

_**Beck:** What's up, Cat?_

**_André:_**_ 'Sup?_

**_Tori:_**_ Heeey._

_-Nothing much. What goes on with you guys?- _ Cat asked.

**_ Beck: _**_Watching a movie._

**_Robbie:_**_ Nothing really._

_**André: ** Working on the song for Mr. Henshaw's class._

_**Tori: ** Just chilling. Wbu?_

_-Working on an essay.- _ Cat replied.

_**André: **Mrs. Jones?_

_-Yep.-_ Cat said. A thought came to her at an instant. _-Beck, where's Jade?-_

**_Beck:_**_ Most likely at home, why?_

**_Tori:_**_ She dropped you off earlier, remember?_

Cat shook her head. Of course she remembered! But Jade didn't live too much further and was normally online by now. _-Nvm. I gotta start my essay. See u guys tomorrow.-_

Her friends all said their goodbyes and she closed the chat box, sighing. She leaned back on the headboard of her bed. Why wasn't Jade online? It wasn't like her at all. Cat suspected it has something to do with their conversation earlier, maybe Jade was still pissed about her defiance. She was definitely known for holding a grudge.

Her cell phone's message chime broke her from her trance and she took it out of her pocket. One text showed up on screen:

_ Hey, Red ;)_.

**...**

**How did Sam get Cat's number? Is Jade still mad? Answers revealed in due time my friends!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Alright, guys, so it's been a long wait for chapter five. I've been reading the comments, and a couple of them piqued my interest. I've also been contemplating what to do in this chapter. I have A LOT of ideas. But I picked the one that would work best. Questions WILL be answered, trust me!**

**…**

Cat waited outside the school's front doors, watching out for Sam. She glanced down at the surprise text she had gotten the night before:

_Hey, Red ;)_

She didn't understand how Sam could've gotten her number from anyone besides her. The blonde did seem like the sneaky type, but hopefully she'd tell her secret. After all, it did seem like she really trusted Cat. And Cat trusted her.

"Hey, Cat!"

Cat looked up from her phone to see Sam jogging up to her, a grin on her face. Her backpack was slung over her shoulder. She came to a halt in front of Cat.

"Hi, Sam." Cat said. "I need to ask you something."

"What's up?" Sam asked.

"Well, I wanted to know how you got my number." Cat said, hearing her voice tremble.

"Oh, yeah. I forgot about that." Sam chuckled. "I went through your files."

"You what?!" Cat exclaimed, covering her mouth when a few pairs of eyes turned in her direction. She lowered her voice. "Why did you do that?!"

"To find your number, duh." Sam answered. "Don't worry, I didn't read anything else."

"You didn't?" Cat said.

Sam shrugged. "Nah. I figured anything else I wanted to know I'd get from the source." She smiled at the red-head, her eyes sparkling with a humorous light.

Cat blushed, feeling foolish all of a sudden. Sam's gaze weighed heavily on her and an awkward tingling started up in the depth of her stomach. The bell rang and Sam took her wrist.

"Hey, why don't I walk you to class?" she asked.

Cat nodded. "O-okay, thanks."

Sam let go of her and started in the front doors. Cat followed, her wrist burning from Sam's touch.

**…**

Four periods later, Cat was on her way to lunch with Robbie and Tori. Robbie was complaining about something Rex had done the night before.

"Well, why didn't you tell him to shut it?" Tori asked.

"I tried, but he kept talking." Robbie said. "He said some really…rude things."

"Such as?" Tori said.

Robbie shook his head. "You don't wanna know."

Tori made a face and turned her attention to Cat. "You okay?"

"Uh-huh, why?" Cat replied.

"You've been really quiet." Tori observed.

Cat shrugged. "I don't know, maybe Sikowitz will cheer me up."

They entered the cafeteria and spotted Andre, Beck, and Jade waiting for them at the end of the line.

"Guys, over here!" Beck called to them.

They joined them in the line and Cat faced Jade. "Hey, Jade."

"Hey, Cat." Jade said in a flat voice.

Cat pouted and sighed. So she was still a little mad at her for defending Sam. But what was she supposed to do? She was badmouthing her friend! It wasn't fair it Cat's eyes. And it still struck her as odd that Jade didn't want her hanging around with Sam for some unknown reason. Jade wasn't one to always reveal what happened in her past.

"Jade, please don't be mad anymore." Cat said.

"I'm not mad." Jade said, not turning to look at her.

"You're-you're not?" Cat blinked, baffled. "Then, why-"

"Look, Cat, just leave it alone." The hint of agony hidden in her voice made Cat's mouth shut. She looked down and focused on moving with the line.

Beck leaned over and whispered, "Don't take it too personally; you know how Jade can be."

Cat nodded and forced a smile at her friend. Once they'd all gotten their lunch, they headed to their usual table and sat down. Cat looked down at her food. Suddenly, she wasn't feeling all that hungry. She felt torn, instead. Torn between her two friends; Jade, whom she had been best friends with since eighth grade, and Sam, whom she had only known for a few days. It made her head ache. She could feel the throbbing pain in her jaw. Weird, but it always happened when she felt stressed. She wanted to break down and cry in the middle of the lunchroom.

"Psst!"

Cat's head popped up and she glanced around the general area. Was that directed to her?

"Pssst, Red!"

Yep, definitely meant for her. It had to be Sam. Her eyes lingered towards the cafeteria doors, where she could see half a face and curly blonde hair. "Kid, come here for a sec, would ya?"

"Guys, I'll, um, be right back." Cat said as she stood up from the table.

She turned towards the doors, not noticing the icy glare that came from Jade's eyes as she watched her go. She simply slipped out the double doors and found herself face to face with Sam, who had a childish and playful grin on her face.

"Hey." Cat said, finding it difficult not to smile back.

"Look, there's a party going on at Carly's apartment." Sam said, getting straight to the point. "She said it was okay if you come, too."

"Me? Go to a senior party?" Cat said, her expression resembling a deer in headlights. "Sam, I don't think-"

Sam shoved her shoulder kindly, laughing. "Oh, c'mon. It'll be fun. You're going with me, and no one's gonna mess with you as long as you stay by my side. Carly thinks you're cool, anyway."

"Er, um..." Cat stuttered. "I-I guess..."

"Awesome!" Sam grinned wider. "I guess I'll pick you up at eight, then." She started up the hall.

"But, I didn't tell you where I live." Cat called after her.

Sam chuckled nervously and slung her arm behind her head. "Yeah, I may have read that much in your portfolio." Cat gasped and Sam shook her head. "I swear, that's really as far as I read. Trust me." She nodded at Cat and started walking up the hall again.

Cat sighed and returned to the lunch room, sitting back down in her seat. Her stomach growled hungrily and she decided to take a bite out of her pizza.

"What was that about?" Andre asked her.

"Yeah, what happened?" Robbie said.

Cat shook her head. "Nothing. Nothing at all."

**...**

**Alright, the next two chapters are gonna be a bit crazy! I might have to change it to M, just because of the party! We'll see!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Heyo! So, I was waiting for more reviews on whether I should keep the story T or go ahead and move it to M, but they didn't come soon enough and I had to get this chapter written ****_ASAP_**** because my idea was too good to keep waiting! This might be the longest chapter of the _entire_ story, I'm not sure yet. It will be REALLY long, though! But let's go ahead and throw this into gear, shall we...?**

**WARNING: Chapter contains sensitive/sexual content and vulgar language.**

**...**

Cat stared at herself in the mirror. Her pink blush covered cheeks, her lightly shadowed eyes, and red lipstick-covered lips. Her outfit was a simple one; a no-sleeve black and purple tank top with a matching skirt. She prayed that her appearance was decent, she really didn't want to embarrass herself and Sam. After all, she was basically going to be Sam's...date? No, friend. A good friend. Date was not the word for it. But the word caused a stab at her heart and a rush down her spine. She opened the bathroom door, only to bump into her Nonna.

"Oh, sorry, Nonna." she said, noticing the nervous tremble in her voice.

"Why, sweetheart, what's the matter?" Nonna asked. She glanced down at Cat's outfit. "And where are you going all dressed up?"

"I was invited to party." Cat explained.

"Oh, really?" Nonna asked as she made her way into the living room. Cat trailed behind. "With who and where?"

"Well, I was invited by Sam." Cat said. "It's at her friend Carly's apartment."

"And where does this Carly live?"

Cat hadn't thought of that; she didn't even know. Sam never said. But the ring of the doorbell saved her from any further interrogation. "Ding-dong!" she said as she went to answer the door. She opened it.

"Hey, there, Red!" Sam said happily. She got a good look at Cat's appearance and whistled, grinning into the girl's eyes. "You look amazing. Like, wow."

Cat's cheeks immediately turned hot and she smiled shyly. "Thank you, Sam." She backed up to open the door wider in order to quickly introduce Sam to her grandmother. "Sam, this is my Nonna. Nonna, this is Sam."

"How ya doin', Miss Valentine?" Sam asked, sending a polite smile in Nonna's direction.

Nonna chuckled. "Oh, Sam. Don't bother with all that. Feel free to call me Nonna. It's nice to finally meet you."

"Ditto." Sam agreed. She turned back to Cat. "I know I'm here a bit early, but I gotta get there sooner than planned. Carly might need some last minute help setting up."

"Okay, that's fine." Cat said. She started out the door.

"Don't stay out too late!" Nonna called.

Sam poked her head through the door before it closed. "I'll have her back here before eleven."

"Alright." Nonna smiled. "You two have fun!"

Sam and Cat set of towards Sam's motorcycle. Cat's eyes went wide at the sight of the motorcycle and she stopped in her tracks. "Uh, Sam?" she asked.

"Yeah?" Sam said as she got on the motorcycle.

"We're riding that?" Cat said.

Sam laughed. "You've never been on a motorcycle, have you?" Cat shook her head and Sam laughed again. She motioned for Cat to come closer and for her to sit on the bike. She then grabbed the two helmets that were dangling from the handlebars. She handed one to Cat. "Put it on." She instructed, and Cat did as she was told. Sam reached for Cat's arms and wrapped them around her own waist. Cat blushed once again. "Hang on tight."  
Instinctively, Cat tightened her hold on Sam. Sam revved the bike's engine and pulled away from the curve.

**…**

They pulled up in front of a large apartment building and Sam shut off the motorcycle. She took her helmet off and got up from the bike, offering her hand to Cat to help her off. Cat took it and let Sam take her helmet off.

"Follow me." Sam said.

Cat nodded and followed Sam inside. She looked around at the lobby. Her eyes ended up resting upon the doorman who had a huge and grotesque wart protruding from his face. He was asleep, leaning back in his chair with his feet kicked up onto his work station. The sound of his snoring rattled deep in Cat's bones and she shuddered.

"Ignore him." Sam whispered. "That's just Lewbert, the doorman." She went over to the elevator and pushed the up button. "Carls' apartment is on the eighth floor."

Cat got on the carrier with Sam when it arrived. "You nervous?" Sam asked.

Cat nodded. "Yeah, kinda. I've never been to a senior party."

"You got nothing to worry about." Sam reassured her. "Remember, you're with me."

_You're with me._ Cat thought, finding that she was smiling.

The elevator doors opened in the middle of what looked like a living room. She and Sam stepped off, and Cat was able to take in the entire room. Aside from the party decorations, the room was colorful. The natural décor consisted of creations Cat never imagined, including a squirrel made from a camera and a robot made from soda bottles. Cat was amazed.

"Hey, Sam!"

A tall man, Cat guessed he was in his late twenties/early thirties, came out of a side hallway.

"Spencer, hey!" Sam said. She gestured to Cat. "Spence, this is the girl I was telling you about. Cat Valentine."

Spencer raised his hand to greet the tiny redhead. "Hey."

"Cat, this is Carly's brother, Spencer." Sam said.

Cat took Spencer's hand and shook it. "Nice to meet you, Spencer."

"Where's Carly?" Sam asked, looking around.

"I think she went out to get some last minute supplies for the party with Freddie." Spencer. "You know the party starts soon."

"Okay, well," Sam sighed and looked at Cat. "do you wanna see something cool?"

"Sure." Cat answered.

Sam nodded her head towards the stairs beside them. "Up here. Come on." Sam started up the stairs and Cat followed behind. Sam led her all the way up the stairs to a long hallway. "It's here." she said, standing in front of a door. She turned the knob.

Cat's eyes bugged. "Oh, my God!" It's the-"

"iCarly studio." Sam completed, nodding.

"That's why you looked so familiar." Cat said thoughtfully, and then laughed. "You're so much nicer in person than on camera."

Sam laughed with her. "Yeah, well, only when I'm around people I like."

Their eyes locked and Cat smiled, feeling her face flush for the third time that night. But the moment was ruined by Carly, who came into the studio.

"Guys, the party is starting." she announced.

Sam grinned. "Shall we?" she said to Cat.

"We shall." Cat replied.

**…**

Cat became quite accustomed to the party rather quickly. It was almost like the other parties she'd been to, despite the fact that they weren't senior parties but rather just large get-togethers with her closest friends. The music that was playing was 'We Can't Stop' by Miley Cyrus. Cat stood quietly near the stereo. She didn't mind the blasting music in her ear, her hearing was already affected by her brother's constant yelling in the middle of the night when she still lived with him and her parents. She had a cup in her hand but it was still pretty full, seeing that her attention was directed elsewhere. Across the room, almost completely blurred in with the rest of the crowd, was Sam. She was dancing with Carly and a couple of other girls. Cat was feeling something. For some reason, she wanted Sam to come over and dance with her. Was she jealous? Bored of being by herself? Most likely both.

As if reading Cat's mind from a distance, Sam caught her eye and murmured something to the girls surrounding her before pushing between people to get to Cat.

"You okay?!" she shouted over the music.

Cat nodded. "Yeah!" The lie hurt as is slipped through her teeth.

"So why aren't you dancing?!" Sam asked. Cat shrugged and Sam rolled her eyes. She took her hand and pulled her away from the stereo. Cat barely had enough time to put her cup down. Sam took Cat to the middle of the floor and let go of her hand. She faced her. "Ready?" Cat shook her head. "Oh, c'mon! It's easy! You just gotta let go and move with the groove!"

Sam simply started rocking her body and bopping her head. She slowly swayed her hips in a side-to-side motion, raising her arms up and smiling at Cat. Cat watched with immense curiosity.

"Red!"

Two boys shoved past the group, up to Sam and Cat. One of them was Jonah. "Surprised to see you here, Red," Jonah said, smiling at her. "Who invited you?"

"I did." Sam said, stepping between them and narrowing her gaze. "What do you want?"

"Sam, I didn't even see you." Jonah said. He patted the guy next to him. "This is my friend, Liam." Liam nodded a polite greeting. "We just wanted to see if Cat wanted to dance with us." Jonah shrugged. "I mean, I know we got off on the wrong foot and I wanted to make up for that."

Sam opened her mouth to answer, but Cat interrupted. "It's okay, Sam. I don't mind."

"Great!" Jonah said, grinning at Sam's suspicious glare. He took Cat's hand and took her away from Sam. He stopped in the kitchen area. He started moving his body a bit closely to Cat's and she smiled shyly.

"So, Red," Jonah said. "How do you like the party?"

"It's okay." Cat answered honestly, starting to move her body's with Jonah's. "It's not like any other party I've been to before."

Jonah laughed and leaned in closer, until their faces were just a single breath away. "I actually wanted to talk to you, but this really isn't the best place to do any talking. Why don't we go somewhere quieter?"

"Um, okay, I guess." Cat said.

Jonah took her hand again, giving a subtle nod to Liam as they headed for the stairs. They didn't leave to the floor Sam had brought Cat to earlier, but a floor below. It was another long hallway, but this one had two doors. Liam opened the first one, letting Jonah and Cat enter first. A bedroom, most likely Carly's if Cat had to guess.

"Okay, so what do you want to talk about?" she asked.

Jonah laughed aloud, the sound menacingly chilling. His expression turned cold. "Liam, bed."

Liam smiled and stepped up to Cat, grabbing her by the shoulders.

"Hey!" Cat cried, wriggling in his grasp. "What are you doing?!"

Jonah just watched as Liam pinned her down on the bed, and then made a slow walk up to them, grinning. "You really are dumb, aren't you?"

"Huh?" Cat asked, still fighting to escape Liam.

"You don't just go off alone with two guys at a party!" Jonah said.

"What do you want with me?" Cat said.

"I just want to see what new toy Sam has getting under her belt." Jonah explained. "I mean, Sammy doesn't just pick girls because she wants to."

Cat still didn't understand. Her eyes were watering and she gritted her teeth. She didn't want to cry in front of them, but she was stuck. Jonah leaned down to Cat's ear. "She's not gonna come." His hand was placed on her leg, slowly sliding upward. Cat closed her eyes, sending a silent prayer. _Please, Sam…_

**…**

Meanwhile, downstairs, Sam was searching hopelessly for Cat and Jonah. The apartment was small; there wasn't enough space for them to hide. Honestly, how much did it take to find two people?

"Carls, have you seen Cat and/or Jonah?" Sam asked her best friend.

Carly shook her head. "Nope, but ask Freddie." She pointed over by the kitchen. "He's over there."

"Thanks." Sam said.

She forced her way to Freddie, earning a few unwelcomed elbows in the chest and stomach. She found Freddie, talking to a tall boy.

"Freddie, have you seen Cat?" Sam asked, hopeful.

"Nah." Freddie said, shrugging.

"Wait, what does Cat look like?" Gibby asked.

"Red hair, kinda short." Sam described as best she could.

"I saw them." Gibby said.

"Where did they go?!" Sam said, grabbing the collar of Gibby's shirt.

"They went upstairs not too long ago." Gibby said, pointing to the stairs.

Sam's eyes went wide and she released Gibby. "No…"

"Sam?" Freddie asked. "Sam? What's wrong?"

Without a word, Sam rushed towards the stairs praying that she wasn't too late.

**…**

Cat watched in horror as Jonah's hand inched up her skirt. Liam laughed, staring down at Cat who had lost any hope that Sam, or anyone else, would find them.

"P-please…" she whispered hoarsely through her tears.

At that moment, the door burst open and slammed against the wall behind it with a ear shattering _BANG!_

"_Get your hands off of her!"_ a voice growled.

From the corner of her eye, Cat could see a figure standing in the doorway with blonde hair and clenched fists. "Sam…" she gasped.

"Well, well, well." Jonah said, not retracting his hand from where it rested just mere inches away from Cat's underwear. A smug grin appeared on his face. "Looks like I was wrong. Sammy came to play."

"You son of a bitch, Jonah!" Sam screamed, her feet stomping up to him. "What the fuck are you doing?!"

"Just playing with you new little girlfriend, that's all." He spat the words like he was damning her to Hell.

Sam's eyes flickered toward Cat at the recognition of the word 'girlfriend'. She flexed her fingers. "You have three seconds to let Cat go."

"Or what?" Liam said, his teeth clenched.

"One…" Sam began counting. Jonah and Liam glanced at each other. "Two…three!"

Her hand shot out, wrapping tightly around Jonah's neck. Liam let go of Cat and started towards Sam, but Sam had him by the shoulder at an instant and squeezed tighter and tighter until he collapsed and passed out on the floor. Sam slammed Jonah against the wall, then let go, watching him crumple to the floor and struggle to regain his breath.

"Are you okay?" Sam asked Cat, taking her hands and helping her off the bed. "He didn't hurt you, did he?"

Cat swallowed and shook her head, more tears spilling down her cheeks. "S-Sam…thank you…"

"I told you no one would mess with you as long as you stayed with me." Sam said, smiling gently at her. Then she turned her back to her and her face returned to it's icy state as she glared at Jonah. "If you ever lay your filthy hands on her again, I guarantee no one will miss you."

With that, she took Cat, still hand-in-hand, out of the bedroom and down the stairs. They weaved through the crowd of people, up to Carly. Sam tapped her shoulder.

"I'm taking Cat home." she said. "She's tired and it's getting close to her curfew."

"Alright, see you guys Monday then." Carly said, smiling.

Sam nodded and they continued out the front door. They rode the elevator down in silence. Not one word was spoken, even after they had crossed the lobby and were out the front doors. In the subtle glow of the moonlight, Cat could see the agonized and pained expression Sam's face held. They mounted the bike and Sam handed Cat her helmet and Cat put it on. Sam followed suit and Cat wrapped her arms around Sam's waist and hugged her close, appreciating the sense of safety and security that Sam's presence provided. The motorcycle rumbled to life and they left the party behind.

**…**

They arrived outside of Cat's apartment and Sam motioned for Cat to get off. Cat did so, taking off the helmet and handing it to Sam.

"Stay here." Sam said, taking the helmet.

"Huh?" Cat asked, confused.

"I said 'stay here'." Sam repeated.

"Where are you going?" Cat said.

"To find Jonah and Liam." Sam said. "They're probably up and running by now. I'm not gonna let them get off so easily, not after…" She trailed off, looking down and revving the engine. "I'll be back."

"But, Sam-" Cat began. But Sam had already made a U-Turn and was halfway up the street.

**…**

It had been an hour since Sam left, and Cat was fidgeting on the couch. Her thoughts were racing, filled with worry and images she really didn't want to see. _What if she's dead? What if she's hurt and no one's around to help? What if… What if…"_ Her fingers tapped rapidly on her knees. At that moment, there was a light knock on the door. Not bothering with her sound mocking antics, she flew from the couch and opened the door.

"Oh, my _GOD!_ Sam!" she exclaimed.

Sam was leaning against the wall, her hair disheveled and nose bleeding. Her left eye was darkening in color and swelling. Blood trickled down her bottom lip and from the long deep cut on the side of her face. Her right eye dazedly looked up at Cat and she forced a small smile.

"Told you I'd be back." was all she could say before she collapsed in Cat's arms.

**...**

**(LAST SENTENCE UPDATED! It said, "Hey, Red." but then I remembered that there was no point in her saying that since she said she'd be back) Whew! That was pretty intense! What happened to Sam? What happened to Jonah and Liam? I know, I know, you probably hate me for making Sam get beat up when she's all tough but TRUST ME! Next chapter to be a bit more relaxed and FULL of Puckentine! (SPOILER ALERT: Jade to return within the next two chapters!)**


	7. Chapter 7

**Alright! It's the chapter we've all been waiting for! It's been a long time coming, but I'm proud to FINALLY introduce *drum roll* THE PUCKENTINE KISS! Yes, it's true folks! Sam and Cat finally kiss! That's the upside, anyway. The downside is...Well, I'll leave that to the next chapter =^-^=. Yeah, I'm a teaser xD. This chapter might be long, it might be short. One must read for one to understand!**

**...**

Sam's eyes wavered and she groaned quietly. She could feel the excruciating pain awakening the end of every nerve in her body. There was a throbbing going on in her head, causing her to wince. A sharp pain rebounded in her cheek. She tried to move, but even the slightest twitch of her muscles made her cry out. Her breathing shortened to weakened pants.

"Sam!"

Sam opened her eyes a slit soon enough to see Cat rush into the doorway, ice pack in her tiny hands. She took a hurried seat beside the vulnerable blonde and pressed the ice pack to her cheek. "Sam, please..." There was the tone of a choking sob buried in her plea. "Are you alright? Say something, please..."

Sam's lips moved with a great effort, and she was shocked to find how hoarse her speech had become. "Cat..."

Cat let go of her breath in a heave of relief, her face dampening with tears. "Oh, God, Sam." she sobbed quietly. "I was so worried, I thought you were-"

"How long was I out?" Sam interrupted, noticing the streak of sunlight peeking vainly through the drawn curtain.

"All night and almost all day." Cat explained. "It's just getting to noon. I took care of your injuries while you rested." She readjusted the ice pack and Sam sighed at the coolness seeping through the damaged flesh of her body. "They were pretty serious... The cut on your cheek was the worst, and it took a few hours for your eye to swell down." With tentative fingers, she lightly touched the aching skin around Sam's left eye. "I had to bandage your shoulder, you had a few good scrapes." She sighed. "You really scared me, Sam."

"Did I?" Sam asked. "How?"

"I didn't know what happened to you. I thought you were hurt and alone, or..." She swallowed the last of her sentence.

"Do I really look that bad?" Sam joked, though Cat didn't laugh.

"What happened when you left?" Cat questioned, laying her hand on Sam's arm.

"I found them running up an ally close to the Plaza." Sam said. "Jonah called in a few guys and I was taken by surprise. They jumped me, but I got them down."

Cat's expression showed the worry that swelled deep within her. Sam shifted a bit, and a explosion of pain erupted in her. She cried out again and Cat gently forced her down. "Don't move too much."

Sam nodded in understanding and relaxed into Cat's touch. A slow breath slipped through her lips and a metallic taste spread over her taste buds. Before she could register it, Cat had a tissue pressed onto her lip. "That's been happening on and off. It'll stop for a while then start up again."

Despite the amount of energy it took to think, Sam tried to remember all the occurrences of the night before. The party... Cat... With Jonah and Liam... Her jaw locked and her teeth clenched at the memory, her hand balling up into a fist. Cat, thinking it had to do with the pain, said in a soothing voice, "Sam, where does it hurt? Tell me."

Sam shook her head. The only place it hurt the most was in her heart. The haunting thought of how she never should've let Cat go with them, how she could have prevented it, roamed wild and aimlessly in her mind. It was the worst pain that was currently being inflicted on her. With careful words, she whispered, "Cat, I'm sorry."

Cat was confused. "For what?"

"For not being more careful with you." Hot tears built up in her closed eyes. "I shouldn't of let you go with them, I should've known Jonah would go and pull that type of shit with you..."

Cat's hand caressed the uninjured side of Sam's face. "Sam, I'm fine. They didn't hurt me."

"But they touched you." Sam growled. "They touched you and probably traumatized you."

"They didn't. You were there." Cat said, smiling. "You showed up right when I needed you. Lord knows what would've happened if you hadn't been there. Like you said, no one would mess with me while I was with you."

Sam's hand overlapped hers, but her eyes didn't open. "Tell the truth, Cat." she said softly. "Are you okay? Don't lie to me."

"I promise, I'm fine." Cat said with such sincerity that Sam had to physically and mentally open her eyes to check her expression. Blue eyes met brown ones and she searched for anything that said otherwise. Instead, she only found her reflection. Her heart skipped at the sight. Cat sat up, taking her hand with her. Her gaze fell to her palms. "But, I need you to be honest with me now."

"Honest how?" Sam asked.

"I want you to tell me everything; from what you were thinking after you found me up to when you showed up on my doorstep." Cat said, fighting to keep the emotion from cracking her voice.

"I-I was thinking that I could've lost you." Sam said. "Not physically, but mentally, spiritually. I was thinking about how I'd make them pay for trying anything with you. Make them pay for touching and treating you like you were nothing special." Despite the complaining of her limbs, Sam sat up and took Cat's face by her chin in order to have her face her. "I was thinking how I'd beat the living hell out of them until I believed that their debt had been paid."

Cat blushed at the close proximity of their lips, their bodies. "Jonah said you don't pick girls because you want to."

"He's right." Sam chuckled. "Except I didn't pick girls, I picked you."

"Why me?" Cat asked. "Why not another senior?"

"Because other senior girls aren't like you, Red. They don't have your personality, your spirit, the ability to break me down no matter how hard I try to stay up straight." Sam smiled. "They don't affect me the way you do."

"I affect you?" The innocent tone of Cat's voice made Sam smile wider.

"In the best way possible." she said.

Their lips collided, and the softness of Sam's mouth made Cat fall hard. She closed her eyes, letting herself submerge into the pleasurable sparks rushing through her. Ignoring the soreness and protesting of her body, Sam tugged Cat down atop her, snaking her arm behind her waist and letting her fingers explore the exposed skin under Cat's shirt when it rode up her back. Cat moaned, tangling her own fingers in Sam's blonde locks. She was careful with her, still fully aware of the unhealed injuries that took refuge on Sam's skin. The ice pack that had long been forgotten fell to the floor, the clattering noise of frozen ice finally awakening them. They pulled away from each other, their chests heaving with lost breath.

"Do you love me?" Cat whispered, pressing their foreheads together.

Sam nodded. "Do you love me?"

Cat simply answered with another smothering kiss, gripping the collar of Sam's shirt tightly in her hands. Heated passion grew in the air surrounding them, and they fell into each other, losing themselves in the loving embrace.

**...**

**So? How was that? I hope it was good enough, I'll consider revising it if there is any problem with the set up. I'm really obsessed with perfect work! Jade will return in chapter 8!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Okay, so while writing this chapter I realized I was missing a character: Dice! We can't have a Puckentine story without Dice! Not in my eyes, anyway. So I wrote him in! Wait until you see how! xD As I said in the past two chapters, Jade is back! And boy, is it not a good thing! You'll have to wait to the end for her to show up, though. DON'T SKIP! That's cheating! If you skip, you better admit it! Nah, I'm just kidding. Anyway, enough drabble! Get on with the story!**

**…**

Sam stayed the night, mainly for Cat to keep an eye on, and tend to, the damage that was done to her. Also, because Sam refused to leave her alone after what happened. Cat didn't mind at all. Sam asked how they would explain her presence to Cat's Nonna, but Cat said not to worry about it. Nonna was going to leave rather early the next morning to run some errands, then go to a friend of hers' house to play cards. She'd be gone all day.

The next morning, Sam woke up first. The soreness in her limbs retracted to a minor discomfort, and she was grateful. She moved to stretch as much as she could, and was instantly aware of the weight on her chest. Her eyes fell on Cat's head, which rested just under chin. The girl's arm was spread across her waist, holding her close and tight. A small smile was on her pretty face. Sam smiled herself, smoothing Cat's hair and kissing her forehead. Cat stirred at the contact, stretching and yawning.

"Morning." Sam said, laughing.

Cat sighed contentedly. "Morning." Her eyes batted open. "I'm not hurting you, am I?"

Sam shook her head. "No, of course not.

"Good." Cat said. "Are you hungry?" Sam's stomach growled at the mention of food and Cat giggled. "I'll take that as a yes."

Cat carefully lifted herself off Sam and stood up. "Do you think you can get up?"

"I don't know." Sam said. "You gonna help me?"

"Of course." Cat said, smiling.

Cat stuck her hand out and Sam took it. She slowly sat up, wincing at the dull roar of pain that made itself known in her torso. Cat wrapped her arm behind Sam to balance her and helped her off. Sam wobbled, but Cat held her.

"Thanks." Sam said, smiling at her.

"No problem." Cat said, smiling back. "Come on, let's see if you can make it to the kitchen."

They took slow steps out of the room. Cat kept her arm around Sam's waist, and Sam kept hers around Cat's neck. Cat sat her down at the counter and Sam leaned against the countertop, out of breath from holding it in.

"I'm worse than I thought." she muttered, trying to joke lightheartedly.

"Don't worry, you'll get better." Cat said.

"Well, I have the best caretaker." Sam said which made Cat blush.

"What are you hungry for?" Cat asked.

"You wouldn't happen to have any bacon, would you?" Sam asked.

Cat opened the fridge and reached into the back. "Uh, yeah. We do. Do you want bacon and eggs?"

"Sounds good." Sam said. She put her chin on the counter and tapped her fingers, thinking.

Cat got to work on the food, pulling out the bacon, the carton of eggs, and two pans. She grabbed a spatula from the drawer next to the sink. "Do you want your eggs scrambled?"

"Sure." Sam said.

Cat turned on the fire, and, after a few seconds, lightly tapped a couple of egg shells on the counter and broke them over the pan. The eggs fell into the pan with a soft sizzle.

While she cooked, a question kept making it's way to the surface of her mind. No matter how hard she tried to shove it back down, it came back up. It was an urgent one, obviously, but Cat didn't think it was appropriate to bring up at this time. Though, she badly wanted the answer. After all, they'd have to face their peers with this. Probably. Would it be best to keep it a secret? From everyone? Including her closest friends? Or, was she even sure that the kiss they shared and the words they said were honest? Could they just of been caught up in the moment? A one-time thing? They declared their love for each other last night, and she was so confused. She scrambled the eggs until they were thoroughly cooked before putting them on a plate and starting the bacon. She peeked over her shoulder at Sam, who was watching her with sincere interest, catching her eyes and smiling at her. A warm sensation spread through her nerves from her chest. She had to ask.

"Hey, um, Sam?" she said, trying to sound calm.

"Uh-huh?" Sam said.

Cat bit her lip, thankful that she wasn't facing Sam. "Are…are we, like…" God, give her strength. "Are we…girlfriend-and-girlfriend now?"

The silence that met her question halted her motions and the bacon grease popped in the pan, making her jump.

"Well, I don't know." Sam said eventually, sounding curious. At least she didn't sound upset. "Do you want to be?"

Cat flipped the bacon over, her heart skipping. Yes, yes she did. So very badly. Being smart, she clicked off the stove and turn to Sam, waiting patiently for an answer. She took a large step forward and leaned in until her and Sam's faces her centimeters away. "Yes." She breathed before kissing her.

Once again, they lost themselves in the kiss. Sam nipped at Cat's lower lip, raising her arms to go around her and pull as close as she could, the counter becoming an aggravating barrier. Cat whimpered, an intimate passion fueling the lip lock. Their minds fogged up and closed out anything else but the other, which is why they didn't notice the front door opening and a short boy with curly hair and a hat walk in.

"Hey-woah!" he exclaimed, the sight of Sam and Cat startling him.

The two girls jumped apart, eyes wide and mouths hanging open hoping for an explanation to come to them.

"Am-am I interrupting something?" the boy asked, ready to turn and run out the door.

Cat's cheeks filled with heat and Sam looked at her helplessly. Cat shook her head, trying to find her voice. "No, Dice, you're…you're fine. Come in."

Dice closed the door and inched his way forward, hands deep in his pockets. "So…"

"Sam, this is Dice, my friend from a few doors down." Cat introduced them. "Dice, this is Sam, my…" She was at a lost for words. She looked at Sam and saw the word that Sam wanted to use in her eyes. Cat nodded subtly, figuring that there was no other way to explain what Dice had seen a second ago.

"I'm Cat's girlfriend." Sam said carefully as if each word contained venom.

"Oh, okay." Dice said, nodding his head. He turned to Cat. "And, um, just wondering, _does your Nonna know?!"_

Cat shrugged. "Well, not necessarily-"

"Not necessarily!" Dice repeated. "Dude!"

"Dude, chill!" Sam said, rolling her eyes. "What's the big deal?"

"There's no big deal, Sam." Cat said. "Dice just likes to over exaggerate."

"Oh, sure." Dice said, raising his arms up. "_I_ over exaggerate."

Cat placed her hand on Dice's shoulder. "Dice, calm down. I'll tell Nonna…in time. We still have, um, things to work out."

"Things like what?" Dice said, eyeing the two of them.

"Just things." Sam said. "Things you shouldn't be so nosy about."

"Sam, please." Cat said. "Everyone, just calm down."

Dice sighed and took his hat off his head. Sam laughed. "What?"

"That's a lot of curls for a boy." Sam said.

"Yeah, well, that's a lot of bandages for a girl." Dice horribly remarked.

"You know what-" Sam began, standing up with a bit of struggle.

"Sam, Dice, _please!_" Cat exclaimed, putting her hands to her head. Sam sat back down and Dice took a seat on the couch.

"For your information, I got a good reason for having these." Sam huffed, turning away.

"Oh, yeah?" Dice said. "And what's that?"

Sam didn't say anything, not wanting to bring up anymore pain. Cat looked down.

"Dice, why don't you go?" Cat said. "I'll see you tomorrow."

Dice stood up without arguing. "Alright, see you." With that, he left.

Cat turned back to Sam, winding her arms around the blonde. She could feel the tenseness of her body slowly melting away. "I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault, Red." Sam replied.

"Yeah, but…" Cat trailed off.

Sam turned in Cat's arms and stared her in the eyes. "What do you wanna do?"

"About what?" Cat said.

"Your Nonna, our friends." Sam implied, raising an eyebrow.

Cat buried her face in the crook of Sam's neck, hoping to relax. "I don't want to tell them, yet." Really, she didn't want to tell Jade. She was the main issue.

Sam's hand brushed along her back in an attempt to soothe her. "Don't worry, things will work out."

Cat smiled against Sam's skin, murmuring, "I hope so."

They pulled apart, smiling at each other. Cat peeked over Sam's shoulder at the now cold bacon and eggs on the other side of the kitchen. "I'd better finish breakfast." she said, moving back around to the kitchen.

**…**

After Sam ate, she remembered she had to go check on her mother. She promised that she'd try to return after and that she would be careful on the motorcycle. She kissed Cat, thanking her for everything and once again reassuring her that they'd be okay. Despite the war going on with herself, Cat smiled and agreed, watching Sam leave out the door.

Sam shut the door behind her and started for her motorcycle, smiling to herself. Just as she reached the bike, she noticed the black car parked behind it and got the feeling someone was behind her. Turning slowly, she was faced to face with no one other than a certain raven haired girl in black combat boots and a leather jacket. She knew her well. _Too _well, in fact. Jade took a step forward, smiling a cold grin.

"Hey, Puckett."

**…**

**Oh, boy! Shit just got REAL! What will Jade do? How do they know each other?! Sorry for stretching this out. Actually, I'm not :P 'Til next time!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Okay, so I unfortunately have to skip the conversation between Sam and Jade until later on, just because it'll be a bit easier to bring up then rather than now. You'll understand soon enough :P I'll also be throwing in some songs; another by Miley Cyrus (I do believe the song is from her album Breakout), Demi Lovato, and maybe a few others.**

**I should also thank those of you that have been following the story from the beginning, and thank those of you that are just now joining and following. You guys are MATHEMATICAL! (Adventure Time. Yeah :P) I appreciate each and everyone of you that enjoy my stories. I love messing with your feels (in a good way) and pleasing you with awesome chapters, readers.**

…

The next day, Sam picked Cat up for school. Cat rushed out the door, watching Sam pull up.

"Hey." Sam said, grinning at her and holding out her helmet.

"Hi." Cat said, mounting the bike and grabbing the helmet from Sam's hand. She fastened it under her chin and wrapped her arms around Sam. "Are you sure you're okay enough to go to school?"

"Of course." Sam said, but something in her voice didn't sound quite right to Cat. She shook it off, though, relaxing herself against Sam.

Sam sighed and drove the bike away from the curb. Her muscles were slightly tensed and her grip on the handles was a bit too tight. She knew Cat would notice, but prayed she wouldn't bring it up. It wasn't a conversation she wanted to get into at the moment. She didn't want Cat to worry. That was the biggest issue. She didn't want to see her beautiful face twisted in worry. She knew, though, that soon enough it would be inevitable and she'd have to face the pain from her own guilt and destruction. She'd have to stand there, emotionless, staring into the hurt chocolate eyes of the girl she loved. She blinked back the urge to cry.

Huh, imagine a girl like Sam crying. Not very realistic, is it? But it was. When it came to Cat, it was. All she wanted to do was protect her. To love her. To keep her. But it wouldn't be the way she wanted. No. No. The word repeats in her mind. She can feel the faltering beat of her heart in her chest, feeling like each beat was rattling through her bones. A cold ghost touch falls down her spine, and it's not at all calming.

She parks her motorcycle in the school's driveway, turning the motor off. Cat got off, hanging her helmet on the bars. Sam did the same and they stood facing each other, the question obvious to the both of them. What do they do?

"Do you want to, uh, go in with me?" Sam asked, kicking her sneakers in the gravel.

Cat nodded, smiling shyly. "Do we go hand-in-hand, or..?"

Sam shrugged, thinking of the possibilities. "Maybe not just yet."

"Okay." Cat agreed.

They started towards the school, and Sam's focus on her peripheral vision became clearer. She narrowed her gaze at all the surrounding students, keeping an eye out for Jonah and/or Liam. And Jade. Jade was the easiest one to spot, halfway across the school's front yard chatting it up with her boyfriend and another kid. It was hard to tell, but Sam thought she saw Jade glance in her direction, her face briefly losing any amusement it had. Sam looked away and jogged up the steps after Cat, her fingers tightening on her backpack's straps. Her jaw was set, teeth clenched behind her lips.

"Sam?"

"Huh?" Sam said, distracted. She met Cat's eyes, seeing the confusion in them.

"Are you okay?" Cat asked.

"Yeah, sure." Sam answered, shaking her head to clear her thoughts. "You need to get to class, it starts in a few minutes." She added rather hurriedly.

"You gonna walk me?" Cat asked, though she already knew the answer.

Sam gave a forced, lopsided smile. "Naturally."

She and Cat headed to Cat's homeroom, and Sam felt as if each and every eye of her peers were focused on her.

**…**

"So, what are the deets?" Tori squeaked in Sikowitz's class a few hours later. She scooted her chair closer to Cat, waiting eager for the story of Cat and Sam.

"Huh?" Cat asked, looking up from her lap.

"C'mon, you know what I mean!" Tori said exasperatedly, rolling her eyes. "I heard Sam spent the night at your house!"

"Wha-?!" Cat's voice caught in her throat, causing her surprised shock to come out in a squeak. "How did you know that?!"

"Ryder was at the party and saw you guys leave." Tori replied. Her boyfriend was such a big mouth. "Soo, what happened?"

"Nothing happened." Cat said, dismissing her question.

"But she was at your house?"

"I didn't say that!"

"You didn't not say it, either."

Cat groaned, and dropped her face in her hands. Her head hurt. Tori placed a hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry, Cat. I didn't mean to pressure you."

"It's okay." Cat muttered through her hands. She actually blamed Ryder for saying anything. He couldn't just mind his own business like a normal person.

"Alright, class," Sikowitz said, coming in from the door by the stage. "It's time to go over the play!" Murmurs drifted around the room and Sikowitz clapped his hands. The room quieted down and he stepped off the stage. "The play is going on in less than a week and we still have costume preparations to do and scenery to design. I trust that you all are off-script?" There were nods of confirmation from the class. "Good, good. So, follow me down to the auditorium and we'll get to rehearsing."

Cat picked up her things and followed the rest of the class out the front room door.

Sikowitz opened the doors to the auditorium and immediately got to work. "Alright, let's get the actors from the very first scene up there." Cat, Tori, Jade, and Andre made their way to the stage. "Sinjin, get up on the catwalk and get ready for lighting. Berf, will you please be quiet?!"

The black haired student opened his arms wide and shrugged, dropping his head and following Sinjin up to the lighting platform.

"Shake it off, Berf." Sinjin whispered to him, patting his shoulder.

Sikowitz stood at the edge of the stage, motioning for the four teens to come up to him. "I want you guys to give me your best, your loudest, your hardest amount of effort. You four have big and important parts. Don't make me give them away."

The friends nodded and took their places. Sinjin brought up the lights on center stage.

**_(Play setup)_**

**Cat: (comes rushing out on stage with her phone in hand) Guys, guys, check it out!**

**(Andre, Tori and Jade stand from their places on the stools)**

**Jade: What is it, Isabelle?  
Cat: (shoves her phone in Jade's face eagerly) It's an invitation to Tyrell's party on Saturday!**

**Tori: You were invited?! (Takes Cat's phone and squints at the screen)**

**Andre: When did you get it?**

**Cat: This morning! Right when I woke up! (Stares dreamily up in space) I dare say he's finally noticed me!**

**Andre: Now, hold on there, Izzy-**

**Jade: Oh, don't go bringing her hopes down, Zach. (Takes the phone from Tori's hands and gives it back to Cat) Let the kid dream, won't ya?**

**Tori: I agree with Bella. (Nods her head at Cat) She should be able to dream about that boy noticing her.**

**Cat: (squeals in excitement) I'm gonna need and outfit! (Grabs Jade's wrist) Bells, will you please come with me to the mall? Please? You have such great fashion taste!**

**Jade: Yeah, I guess. You coming, too, Jess?**

**Tori: (nods) I'd love to come along!**

**Andre: And what about me?**

**Cat: Don't worry, you'll be fine. (She tugs on Jade and Tori's wrists, pulling them off stage) Now, get a move on you two! I got a boy to get!**

**_(End scene)_**

Sikowitz clapped his hands together. "Wonderful, wonderful!" He climbed up onto the stage, up to Cat. "Except, just one thing."

"What?" Cat said.

"You're energy didn't seem real enough." Sikowitz noted. "Trust me, you were amazing; it's just that you need to put more of an energetic persona into your role here." Cat nodded in understanding and Sikowitz smiled at her. "Okay, where is everyone for scene two?!"

A few teenagers and Beck got on stage while Tori, Jade, Andre, and Cat took seats in the front row. Jade took a seat next to Cat and Cat shifted despite her struggle to stay under control.

"Hey, Cat." Jade said, smiling at the redhead.

"H-Hi." Cat replied, her face turning a light shade of crimson.

"How're things with Sam the Senior?" Jade asked, a mocking tone in her voice.

"Fine." Cat said, darkening in color. "Everything's fine." Her eyes fell to her lap.

"I wouldn't suppose that you've taken your so called 'friendship' to a much more elaborate relationship?" Jade said.

Cat shrugged. "I-I wouldn't know."

"Oh, please." Jade scoffed. "It's written all over your face. You're in love with her. Aren't you?" She didn't give her a chance to answer. "I hope you remember my warning, Kitty Cat."

Cat shivered at the nickname and looked up to meet Jade's blue irises. "I do."

Jade nodded, smiling again just as her name was called. She stood from her seat. "Good, don't forget it."

With that, she was gone. Cat sat back in her chair, dropping her head in her hands.

**…**

**God, what is with all the tension? Why is everyone acting so strange? More Jade and Sam interaction in chapter 10!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10 is finally here! I know, I know, it's been a long while and I'm sorry! But school has been crazy with essays and overdue work and things of that nature. Not to mention I have been working on a few new projects, including some for Frozen. My obsession with that movie is one not to pity xD So, anyway, before you read this chapter and say that the pacing was a bit too fast because blah, blah, and blah let me just say that's the whole point! Need I remind you that Jade is about to fuck some shit up?! Things like this ALWAYS happen fast! Plus, this chapter will be really short because of the scene separation and lack of idea ability and will include a reference to one of Ariana's songs.**

**(Side note: I know that some of you might hate me after this chapter, so I apologize now for what my mind has conceived for this chapter)**

**…**

Class was over, and everyone was gathering their stuff. Cat had hurried off the stage to grab her backpack in order to rush and meet up with Sam before her next period, and then she had lunch (her schedule was thrown off due to testing), and was on her way out the door when she heard two voices coming from the other side.

"I told you to take care of it!" One voice hissed. Wait…Jade?

"I'm trying to, believe me!" Was that Sam? Why were Sam and Jade talking? They knew each other?

"You don't have much time left, Puckett." Jade spat, saying Sam's last name with anger.

"How many times to I have to say I'm trying, West?" Sam said with equal emotion.

Cat peeked through the small window; she was low enough to hopefully not be noticed. She could see Sam, toe-to-toe with Jade. Jade's expression was hard and mean, Sam's not different by much. Jade leaned down, and Cat almost swore she was going to kiss her. Her blood boiled at the thought. Instead, Jade said in a low and bone chilling voice, "Take care of it soon, Puckett. Don't forget what happened last time."

With that, she shoved past Sam and up the hall. Sam watched her, her face twisted in hurt and anxiousness. Cat ducked just as Sam stomped past the doors, not even glancing at them as if she wanted to stop. The icy glare in her eyes sent a shiver down Cat's spine.

**…**

Next period was music. Cat walked in through the door and set her stuff down by a chair closest to the window. She herself sat down and tuned her attention to outside, resting her chin in the palm of her hand. She eagerly awaited the arrival of her teacher while she let her mind wander off into space. She imagined what would happen at lunchtime when she finally caught up with Sam. They would sit next to each other at her friend's table, Cat wrapped up in Sam's arms with her head resting on her chest. Sam would be laughing and playing with Cat's hair, getting along with Beck, Andre, Tori, and Robbie. Any tension that had built up between her and Jade would melt away and they'd hopefully be cool. No hard feelings.

"Cat."

Cat's head followed the direction of the voice and she leapt from her chair. Her first instinct was to run. Why wasn't anyone else in the class yet?!

"Relax, we're…we're not here to hurt you." Jonah said. He had a bandaged cut over his right eye, his left arm in a sling, and walked with a limp as he came closer to her. Liam, on the other hand, had a cast on his right foot which made him use crutches and a few still darkened bruises under the sleeve of his football jersey.

"Then why are you here?" Cat's voice trembled.

"To apologize." Liam said. "For what we did on Friday."

"What we did was wrong." Jonah said. "I know this sounds kinda shitty, but Sam would kill me if she found out I didn't apologize."

"So you don't even mean it?" Cat said. "I think she should kill you anyway."

Jonah shrugged, a coldness flashing in his eyes. "Hey, I mean it if I want to live." He swept her body with and up and down glance before nodding his head at Cat and walking away with Liam as a crowd of kids finally plowed into the classroom. Her legs shook as she sat back down in her chair.

"Cat, are you okay?"

The voice of Robbie makes her relax and she looks up at him, nodding her head. "Yeah, yeah, I'm okay."

Robbie sat down next to her and patted her shoulder calmingly. "You sure?"

Cat nodded again, forcing a smile. "Yeah, yeah. Thank you."

"No problem." Robbie replied, smiling.

Mr. Henshaw, their teacher, came into the room a few minutes later and started talking to them about the Moonlight Jam coming up in a few weeks.

"I expect all of you to have some idea of what you wanna do by at least the middle of next week, then a rough or final draft the following week so we can have time to practice." Mr. Henshaw explained, sweeping his gaze upon all his students. "I am allowing group performances, but only to a certain extent; meaning the whole class can't get together." There were a few groans from fellow students and Mr. Henshaw shushed them, raising his hands up. "So, find out who you're working with and what you wanna do."

Automatically, a few students drifted off into Tori's direction, a few stragglers trying to decide amongst themselves on the far side of the room. Some other kids fell in behind Cat.

"Cat, can we work together?" A girl with slurred speech asked.

"No, sorry Stacy." Cat said, watching Stacy shrug and go to find another partner.

"What about us?" a blonde named Zoey said, smiling.

"Look, guys, I'd just prefer to work by myself okay?" Cat said as nicely as she could. "I don't mean to be rude, but this is something I wanna do alone."

Her classmates sighed and left her alone, hoping to find a few others who hadn't been snatched up yet. Cat grabbed her backpack and pulled out her butterfly notebook and a flowered pen. She flipped open to an empty page. She already knew what she was planning on doing. Something special for her and Sam. It had to be just right, if not perfect. She placed the edge of the pen between her teeth, tapping her nails on the paper. _Had to be just right…_

**…**

Lunchtime finally rolls around and Cat waits outside the cafeteria for Sam. Everyone is passing by her, but no Sam. Where was she?

"Cat?" Tori asked, coming back out the doors.

"Uh-huh?" Cat said subconsciously.

"Aren't you coming in?" Tori said.

Standing on her toes to gaze down the hall one last time, Cat nodded, finally giving up. "Yeah, I guess so."

She turned and followed Tori inside to their friend's table to put her stuff down, then went up in line to get her food.

About ten minutes in to lunch, and after a long conversation about the Moonlight Jam, Cat grew bored. She stared at the wall, her fork stabbing at her spaghetti and twirling in the noodles. She rested on her elbows. Her eyes followed the pattern that was painted along the edges of the wall, only to have her view obstructed by a head of blonde hair.

"Sam!" she exclaimed, jumping up from her chair and rushing over to her. She didn't notice the pained grimace on Sam's face. "Where were you? I was looking for you and-"

"Kid." Sam said which halted Cat's rambling.

"Yeah?" Cat asked.

"We need to talk." Sam said. She didn't meet Cat's eyes.

"About what?" Cat questioned. "Sam, what's going on?"  
Sam's hand balled into a fist and she bit her lip, looking off to the side. She had to do this. For her. She had to.

"Sam?" Cat's gentle and concerned tone stabbed her like a rusty serrated knife.

"We can't be together."

Cat staggered back on her feet, catching herself on a chair. "W-what?"

Sam now stared at her with a fiery light in her eyes. "We can't be together. I'm-I'm sorry, but I can't do this. I do love you, a lot, but this can't work."

Cat could feel the tears building in her eyes, her knees growing weak. Sam took two steps towards her, as steady as possible, feeling like she was going to fall. She placed her hand behind Cat's head and pulled her close, kissing her forehead. She lingered there a few seconds, squeezing her eyes shut to hold in her tears. "I'm sorry." She whispered before letting Cat go and swiftly leaving the cafeteria. But not before staring off at something or someone in the distance.

The whole world seemed to stop dead in its tracks. Cat's head swam, trying to process what had just happened, trying to convince itself that this was all a trick. That Sam would come back in any second and push her up against the table and kiss her, apologizing over and over again for trying to play such cruel trick on her. But it didn't happen. And there in the front of the lunchroom, in front of the entire junior body, is where Cat's knees finally gave away and she sank to the floor, sobbing.

**…**

**I'M SORRY, I'M SORRY! If I made you want to flip your computer over and rage, I'm sorry! But you gotta trust me on this! Please?! Don't hate me xD Chapter 11 hopefully coming soon!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Okay, I realize that some of you (okay, ALL of you) are not very happy with me after the last chapter. But, that's what makes me feel and be a good writer. If I can truly get you raging over a story, rather than a simple "Eh, it was okay, I guess…" then it feels like I'm accomplishing something. So thank you guys for making me feel loved :).**

**Good news: I'm predicting at least four or five more chapters, plus questions will be answered in this one.**

**Bad news: Sam and Cat will _not_ be getting back together in this chapter (Go ahead, say you hate me still), BUT I will not end this story until they do.**

**Oh, and before you read this chapter, this is where I go back to Jade's first conversation with Sam. If you need to refresh your memory, do so.**

**…**

_"What do you want, West?" Sam growled, turning back to her bike._

_"What are you doing here?" Jade asked._

_"That's none of your business." Sam said._

_"Oh, it is." Jade said._

_"How?" Sam questioned._

_"You're winning over the wrong person." Jade said as she took another step closer towards Sam._

_"What are you talking about?" Sam said as she pretended to inspect her motorcycle. She didn't want to look Jade in the eyes._

_"Need I remind you of the others?" Jade said._

_Sam's head snapped up and she froze in place. "What?"_

_"Missy was the first, wasn't she?" Jade continued. "The first to see what you were _really_ like and run?"_

_"Shut up." Sam said, her teeth clenched. She faced Jade, a darkened light in her eyes._

_"Then there was Nora." Jade smirked at Sam's angered trembling. "She was just as crazy, but still couldn't handle you."_

_Sam's hands flew up to ears like an air horn had been blasted by her head but Jade drew closer, daring to go on._

_"And Carly." She tsked. "Does she still have that scar on her side?"_

_"She forgave me for that!" Sam roared, but there a weakened pleading somewhere in the sentence. She wanted Jade to stop. She didn't want to feel vulnerable._

_"And how does she repay you? By turning her back on you and going to Freddie."_

_At an instant, Sam had Jade pinned up against her own car. There was an animalistic rage in her eyes. When she spoke, there was a dark tone in her voice. "You. Know. Nothing."_

_Jade simply chuckled. "I know plenty, Sammy." Her eyes flashed with a challenging light. "After all, I was the only one that could really take your shit. That is, until you called it."_

_Sam's fingers tightened on the raven haired girl's collar, then released it. She backed away, flexing her hands._

_"If you don't want the same fate for Cat, I suggest you end it now." Jade said, all to pleased with her results. She got into her car and rolled down the window. "Later, Samantha."_

_"Whatever, Jadelyn." Sam sneered, but the black car was already heading up the street._

She leaned up against the cafeteria doors. She could hear Cat's wailing sobs coming from the other side and her heart ached. A cry bubbled up in her chest, but she swallowed it down. It killed her, murdered her. Oh, how she wanted to fall to her own knees and scream up at the sky damning everyone and everything! Like something out of Shakespeare. But, no. She'd do no such thing. She had to convince herself that this is what Cat needed; this is what was best for her.

_And, yet…_

She couldn't look… She had to look. Sam forced herself to turn around and look in through the cafeteria doors. There was Cat, broken down on her knees and face buried in her hands. Her friends were crowded around her, Tori and Robbie also on their knees next to her while Beck, Andre, and Jade stood. Curious onlookers tried to see past the group and locate the source of the cries, but one look from Jade and they moved on to something else. That is, all except Sam. Jade had seen Sam. She whispered something in Cat's ear before standing straight and coming to the doors. Sam backed away from them and Jade walked through.

"Very well done." she praised. "She honestly believes that you don't want her."

"She's crying." Sam said, her composure shattering under those words. Cracks built up in her confidence.

Jade shrugged indifferently. "She'll get over it."

"So what's your point?!" Sam yelled, hearing the echo of her outburst rattle down the hall. Surely, teachers and students would open their doors to see the two of them standing there. But who cared? "Are you _really_ so fucking heartless that you can't see what that's doing to her?! Because I can see it clear as day!"

"My point is," Jade said, ignoring the rest. "is that you stopped it before it got out of hand."

"Don't you fucking understand anything?!" Sam said. She felt the tears building up in her system. She let them. Nothing mattered anymore. "She loves me! And I love her!"

"And it's because you love each other that this is what's best. Would you honestly prefer that she run later than end it now?"

"You don't know that. You don't know that she would've ran."

"Cat's sensitive and easily scared." Jade said. "She would've ran first chance she got."

Sam didn't answer. She, instead, grabbed her backpack from the floor and left.

**…**

She cradled her purple giraffe close to her chest as she laid curled up in the middle of her bed. Her tears had long stopped flowing, their dry trails evident on her pale face. Her throat was drying, pleading for the one this it could not receive. She couldn't cry anymore; she was all sobbed out. She dragged the pad of her thumb over the nose of Mr. Purple and sighed. How could she of been so fooled? How could she of done that to herself? To not take example from the many before her who had suffered the same fate… How? _Why?_ She didn't understand. Sam said she still loved her, but how could Cat believe her after…that? After she broke her heart?

"Cat?" her Nonna said from behind the closed door.  
"Yeah?" Cat answered hoarsely.

"Jade's here for you." Nonna said.

Cat closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and opened them again. "Let her in."

She didn't look at the door, but she heard the sound of combat boots thudding against carpet (yeah, Jade walked pretty hard). The bed sank, Jade placing herself at Cat's feet.

"Cat." was the first word out of her mouth.

"Hi." Cat said, still not looking at her.

"Are you okay?"

All she got was a shrug. Silence passed between the two for a few minutes, then Cat spoke up.

"Jade, I'm sorry." she said.

"What for?" Jade asked.

Cat sat up, but kept her eyes on the giraffe in her hands. "For not believing you earlier. I honestly wanted to think that…"  
She didn't need to finish. "You didn't know what you were getting yourself into."

"Is this what is what like for you when you and Beck broke up?" Cat asked.

Jade was taken back by the suddenness of the topic change. She remembered the desperation to get him back the first time, how she teamed up with Tori against her better judgment for help. The second time wasn't as bad, but it was still just as painful.

"Sort of." she said more quietly than intended.

"But you guys are back together." Cat said, sounding more like she was trying to piece something together than ask a simple question. "You and Beck broke up twice, but still got back together."

"Yeah." Jade said.

Cat sat there in thought, staring at her bed cover, Mr. Purple now forgotten in her hands. Jade figured that was all she was going to get out of her for the day.

"You'll get through this, Cat." she said before leaving the saddened girl alone.

Cat looked up in time to see the door close behind her friend. She reached over and grabbed her phone, playing the only song she figured could relate to her pain.

_I can honestly say_

_You've been on my mind_

_Since I woke up today (Mmm, today)_

_I look at your photograph all the time_

_These memories come back to life_

_And I don't mind_

Cat laid down on her back, staring up at the ceiling. She hummed along with the song, letting her emotions cloud her eyes and pour over her cheeks.

_I remember when we kissed_

_I still feel it on my lips_

_The time that you dance with me_

_With no music playing_

_I remember the simple things_

_I remember till I cry_

_But the memory I wanna forget_

_…Is goodbye…_

**…**

**Did that make you wanna cry? No? I'll get you next time! And I think it's safe to say we all hate Jade at this point, and that she's kinda rethinking what she did. Only time can tell, though! 'Til next time, dear reader!**


	12. Chapter 12

**Okay, guys. Time to bring in the big guns. There were TONS of ways that this chapter could've been written, but I wanted and idea that truly showed Sam's love for Cat and Cat's love for Sam. This chapter contains sensitive content (it contains mutilation, alcohol abuse, and depression). I know how that stuff can sometimes be offensive and can make people angry, so if the chapter displeases you please let me know. I wish not to upset anyone. This will be very dark in the beginning. Plus, there's some Cam in this chapter ^.^**

**Also, I'd like to shoutout a very smart person and user MindFullofStories for picking up on something very important in the story! Incredible :)**

**...**

_**Three days later...**_

_Sam, please pick up the phone. I know you're there. Whatever's going on...you need to talk to me. Please, Sam. Call me. I-_

Sam cut Carly's voicemail off early. She wasn't in the mood for talking. She wasn't in the mood for anything or anyone. The only one she was in the mood for probably hated her now. And who can blame her? She has every right to hate her. Hell, she hates herself. She couldn't stand life without Cat. Why did she let Jade get under her skin? Did it matter that she had history? Did it matter what happened in the past to the others? It wasn't Sam's fault, yet it was. Everyone knew she had a bad temper. It was written all over her face. That's why people were scared of her. People, except for Cat. Cat didn't care. Not when Sam lost it on Jonah or Liam, not when she had come back battered and bloody. She didn't cry and beg for Sam to leave her alone. No. She stayed, she took care of her, she _loved_ her. Sam's fist tightened and her breathing deepened. What was the point in it all, anyway? What was the point in loving someone when one always ended up hurt anyway? What was the _fucking_ point?

She wished she could take it all back. She wanted to, _needed_ to. But there was no such thing as time travel. No such thing as rewriting history. This was the price, their fate, in return of her mistakes. Her fingers wrapped around the neck of the bottle in her left hand and she threw her head back, chugging down the disgusting liquid. Her face grimanced and her throat burned from the alcohol, but she didn't care. Her mom would probably kill her for getting into her stash, but what did it matter? She was dead anyway. She flung the now empty bottle across the room and it shattered against the wall. She probably wouldn't pick it up later.

She picked herself up from where she sat and went into the bathroom. She glared at herself in the mirror. She was a mess. A sloppy mess. Her hand found the medicine cabinet and flung it open, reaching for something tucked in a corner. A sharpener blade. The cool metal pressed against her skin. She'd let her demons take control of herself again, after she'd sworn to never do so again. She screamed. Again, again, and again. She was going insane. How could one girl do this to her? How could love be so cold, unforgiving, _painful_? She turned on the faucet and dipped her arm under the water, letting it wash over the new and old scars. It stung and was refreshing at the same time, but the water could put out the fire in her heart. The scars that had been cut so deeply into it. A song came to mind.

_-It's probably what's best for you  
I'll only want the best for you  
And if I'm not the best then you're stuck  
I tried to sever ties and I ended up with wounds to bind  
Like you're pouring salt in my cuts-_

Sam turned the water off and got on her knees, putting her head between her hands. She hummed along with the music in her head, feeling the insanity seep into her being.

_-And I just ran out of band-aids  
I don't even know where to start  
'Cause you can bandage the damage  
You never really can fix a heart-_

Her phone rang for the third time that morning. Carly. Deciding that she couldn't dodge her best friend much longer, she pulled herself together and answered the phone.

"Hello?" Sam struggled to say evenly.

"Sam!" Carly breathed in relief. "Where the hell have you been?!"

"Home." Sam replied.

"We were worried about you!" Carly said.

"Why?"

"Because no one knew if anything happened!"

"Well, nothing did." Sam said. "I'm alive for the most part."

"Where are you now?" Carly questioned, her voice demanding.

"Where do you think?" Sam answered.

"Don't go anywhere, I'll be there in ten." Carly said before hanging up.

Sam dropped her phone beside her and laid back on the couch, waiting.

Like she had said, Carly was at Sam's house ten minutes later. She pushed passed Sam at the door and faced her, hands on her hips and expression pissed.

"Okay." she said. "Talk."

"About what?" Sam said as she shut her door.

"What's going on with you?" Carly asked.

Sam shrugged. "Doesn't matter."

"Doesn't matter?!" Carly exclaimed. She grabbed Sam by her shoulders. "Do you even hear yourself?!"

Sam shoved Carly away. "I hear myself just fine, Carls."

Carlyu sighed, aggravated, and glanced around the room. Six empty bottles, including the shattered one, where carelessly tossed around the room. Carly glared at Sam. "This is more bottles than your mom leaves in a week." she noted, narrowing her eyes.

"Maybe she just had another break up." Sam said, sitting herself down on her couch again.

"Sam, have you been drinking?" Carly said. "Don't lie to me."

Sam didn't answer. Carly growled in frustration and stomped up to Sam. She leaned in to smell the blonde's breath, and Sam turned away.

"You _have _been drinking!" Carly yelled. "Goddamn it, Sam!"

"What's wrong with a little alcohol here and there?!" Sam shot back angrily. She leapt up from the couch, her eyes wild.

"What's wrong with it is-" Carly stopped, catching sight of Sam's sleeve. A black line was potruding out from under it. "Sam, lift up your sleeve."

"No." Sam said defiantly, tucking her arm behind her.

"I'm not gonna play this game with you." Carly said. "Lift. Up. Your. Sleeve."

Sam backed away from Carly, towards her bedroom door. Carly stepped towards her, and Sam bolted for her bedroom. Carly followed.

"Carly, leave me alone!" Sam pleaded.

"No!" Carly said.

Sam made a failed attempt to jump over her bed, but her foot caught on the blanket and she crashed down atop it. Carly took the advantage and pinned Sam down to the bed, fire in her eyes. She yanked Sam's arm up and pulled down the sleeve. Fresh and dried blood coated her friend's arm, deep gashes were slashed into the flesh.

"Sam, why?" Carly choked off of her worry for the other girl.

Sam couldn't make the right words come to her. Her jaw fell open, and clamped shut again. Her eyes began to water. Sam took her arm back and her eyes looked off to the side. The truth needed to come out. "I lost her..." she murmured.

"What?" Carly said.

"I lost her!" Sam cried, letting her tears fall.

Carly knew immediately who Sam was referring to. She got off of Sam, sitting beside her and tugging her up and hugging her. Sam sobbed into the brunette's shirt, unable to control her pain.

"What happened?" Carly said softly.

"I-I didn't th-think I could pro-tect her." Sam said. "I thought she-e'd be scared o-of me."

"Why would she be scared of you?" Carly said.

"I couldn't r-risk any-y-thing happening to-o her." Sam responded, wiping her eyes.

"You're not making any sense." Carly said. "Calm down first."

Sam followed Carly's advice and quieted her crying until she could speak clearly. She didn't meet Carly's eyes.

"Okay, now start from the beginning." Carly instructed.

And Sam told her everything. From the party at Carly's apartment up to what happened three days ago. Carly listened patiently, only nodding in understanding and soothing Sam when she needed to. When her story was over, she spoke up.

"Jade West?" Carly said. "That freshman you had dated when you were a sophmore?"

Sam nodded. "Yeah, the exact same one."

"And Jonah..." Carly said. "I can't believe..." She made a face. "And on my bed! Oh, God!"

"I already beat his ass, but he didn't really _do_ anything." Sam told her. "He just had his hand up her skirt."

Carly sighed and wrapped her arm around her friend's shoulder. "Sam, I'm sorry."

"For what? You didn't do anything."

"I know, but I still feel bad. And that son of a bitch, Jade, I can't believe she did something like that to her best friend."

"I can't either." Sam said. "Carls, what do I do?"

"About Cat?" Carly asked, and Sam nodded. "Well, I don't know. That's a real problem."

"I know." Sam agreed.

"Maybe...maybe you should try moving on." Carly suggested.

"What?!" Sam exclaimed.

"You know what I mean." Carly said. "You said you were scared of what you would do to Cat when you got upset, right? After what happened with Missy, Nora, and me?"

"Yeah..." Sam said.

"Well, try something else. I'm not saying you have to go throw yourself at the next girl that walks by, but take baby steps."

"You don't understand, Carly." Sam said. "I can't just let go of Cat. I love her."

"I _do_ understand, Sam." Carly said. "That's why I'm telling you this."

"What makes you so sure that it will work?" Sam asked.

Carly shrugged and smiled. "What's wrong with having a little faith?"

Sam contemplated Carly's words, biting her lower lip. It was worth a shot, trying to at least loosen Cat from her a little bit. Not entirely, because she'd never be able to, but just a bit.

"I guess I'll try." Sam said.

"Good." Carly said. "Now, why don't I take you to Chili My Bowl?"

Sam forced a smile. "Yeah, I could use some chili."

**...**

"Cat, come on!" her friends called from the water. "Get in!"

Cat shook her head. She didn't want to get in the water. It was bad enough her friends dragged her to the beach against her will. She refused to have any fun. Not without Sam. It didn't feel right. She stayed as far away from the water as possible. Instead she lay under an umbrella perched in the sand, laying back on a towel. She'd even gone as far as putting on her favorite two piece bathing suit, the hot pink one covered in purple peace signs and red hearts. But she didn't move from her spot.

It had been three days since the event. Three whole days. And, still, her heart ached. She hadn't cried since that day, but she did tumble in and out of sudden depression episodes. Sometimes she'd just go quiet out of nowhere and have a blank look on her face as she stared off into space. She could stay like that for up to an hour. Her friends knew, they'd been staying with her as much as possible to cheer her up. She appreciated there efforts, but they couldn't give her back what really made her happy. They couldn't remove the dark clouds that followed her and hung over her head no matter how hard she tried to get rid of them. Only Sam could, and she was gone.

"Cat, we're not gonna kep waiting." Tori said, wading to the shore. "You gotta get in sometime."

"No, thanks, Tori." Cat said. "I'm not really feeling like it."

"You love the beach." Robbie called from behind Tori.

"Yeah, but I don't love it today." Cat said. "Please, guys, just leave me alone."

Tori started to speak up again, but Beck appeared at her side and shook his head. "Don't bother. Leave her be. She'll get over it eventually."

But she wouldn't. She knew that for a fact. She'd never get over losing Sam. It wasn't possible. She didn't show it, but she was in agony. Her heart burned at the loss of it's love. She wanted to leave, she wanted to scream, cry, _anything_.

"I'll be right back." Cat announced, standing from her towel.

"Where are you going?" Trina asked as she dodged a splash from Tori.

"Bathroom." Cat answered.

"Need someone to come with you?" Jade said.

Cat shook her head. "I'll be fine."

"Okay, don't take too long." Andre said.

Cat nodded and started for the bathroom. The sand beneath her feet practically scorched their soles, but she didn't pay any attention. She kept walking. Really, she didn't have to use the bathroom. She just felt like she needed a reason to escape her friends for a few minutes. She looked out to the street, to the cars passing by...and stopped short. She caught a glimpse of a familiar head of blonde hair pull over on the other side of the street on her motorcycle. Her heart began to race. _Sam_. With Carly. Why was she there? Why was she there _now_?

_Oh, God, please don't let her be coming to the beach._ Cat pleaded silently in her mind, not daring to tear her eyes away from Sam's back.

To her luck and relief, Sam and Carly headed into the restaurant they'd pulled up in front of Chili My Bowl. Cat felt the urge to run in after her. And she was before she could stop herself. She didn't wait for the traffic light to change; she raced across the street and a car whizzed by her. But she didn't stop. Her feet slapped against the hot pavement beneath her and she came to a halt in front of the window of Chili My Bowl. She looked in. There was Sam, in line with Carly beside her. They were chatting. Cat couldn't see Sam's face, the older girl had her back to her. And Carly didn't see her. Cat wanted to run in and kiss Sam, she wanted to beg her to take her back. But she didn't. She kept her feet glued to the sidewalk.

"Hey, if you're not buying get out of the window." an employee said from the doorway.

"What?" Cat said absentmindedly, turning to face the man.

"I said, if you're not buying get out of the window." the man said.

"S-sorry." Cat stuttered.

She spared one more look at Sam and headed back to the beach, her head hanging low. She encircled her arms around her body.

Inside, Sam and Carly had made their order and waited off to the side.

"So, Gibby and Tasha are a thing now?" Sam asked.

"Yeah." Carly laughed. "It's hard to believe, right?"

"What's wrong with her?" Sam said.

"That's just it! Nothing is wrong with her!" Carly said.

Sam shook her head and smiled just as something caught her attention from the corner of her eye. A flash of red hair just outside the window. "Wait here."

"Where ya going?" Carly said.

"I'll be right back, just wait." Sam said, making her way for the door.

She stepped outside and looked up and down the street. No red hair, no Cat. Was it even Cat she had seen? She wasn't sure, but wished it had been. Holding in her anger and despair, she turned and went back inside with her hands shoved in her pockets.

**...**

**Yeah, I kinda had a mental argument with myself while writing the beginning of this chapter. The dark side won xD Feel free to give me some ideas for the next chapter, I'd love to hear your input! I'll also shoutout whoever's idea I decide to use! Thanks for you support, reader! See you in chapter 13!**


	13. Chapter 13

**Two updates in a row! I'm on a roll here! Okay, people. This is where I had to pull myself back from moving this story up to M. I don't want to quite do that yet. Reason why? Well, I received a couple of reviews that wondered what happened between Sam, Missy, Nora, and Carly, plus I haven't had any real action in the past chapters and I needed to write something lol. Just enough to keep me sane a bit longer. User Dspee6 gave me the wonderful idea to have Sam have a nightmare about what happened and user MindFullofStories said that Carly should give Jade the buttersock xD Well, in order to do that, I'll have to have a quick third-person section for Carly. And I think I know just how to work those in! So, wish me luck reader!**

**…**

Carly leaned against the brick wall of the school. Even after yesterday, Sam didn't bother to show up. Cat, however, did. She looked miserable, but she came to school. But Cat wasn't the one Carly was waiting for. What business would she have with Sam's girlfriend? She was innocent in all this. They both were. It was _Jade_ Carly wanted. And for her own sake, she'd better cooperate. If she didn't, Carly had a surprise for her tucked behind her back. It was Jade's fault all of this was happening with her best friend. Had she not interfered, Sam and Cat would probably still be happy together.

The second afterschool bell rang and students shoved out the doors. Carly stood up straight, squinting to look at every teen's face. She caught sight of some purple highlights and shoved through the crowd.

"Jade!" she yelled.

The taller girl stopped and looked behind her, an icy smile gracing her lips at recogition of Carly's appearance. "Why, Carly! What gives you the pleasure of wanting to talk to me?"

"We need to talk." Carly growled.

Jade shrugged. "Fine." She stood back onto the stair wall, expecting Carly to start the conversation.

"Not here, dumbass." Carly said. She nodded to the other side of the school, out of sight. "Over there, so people won't be sticking their noses in our business."

"Whatever you say, Shay." Jade said and followed Carly to their location. When Carly stopped, she did. "Now, what's this all about?"

"You know damn well what this is about." Carly said.

"I'm afraid I don't." Jade said.

Carly rolled her eyes. "Sam and Cat."

"Oh, those two." Jade waved her off and turned her back to the brunette. "Whatever you're going to say, I'm not interested."

Carly ran around to Jade's front and got in her face, having to get on her toes to do so. "You're going to stay here and fucking listen to what I have to say."

"And if I don't?" Jade raised an eyebrow.

"Then I'll just have to use this." Carly pulled out the infamous buttersock from behind her back.

"The buttersock?" Jade scoffed. "You don't have the balls."

"Try me." Carly threatened. She swung the buttersock around. "You remember that Sam likes to use hard butter, right?"

Jade rolled her eyes, not really worried but kind of surprised at how Carly was acting. "Fine. You have ten minutes."

Carly rested back on her heels and crossed her arms, satisfied. "That's all I'm asking for, Jade."

"Yeah, yeah." Jade said dismissively. "Now, this is about Sam and Cat?"

Carly nodded. "You ruined their relationship."

Jade put on an innocent shocked face. "Me?"

"Don't play that bullshit game with me." Carly said. She let the venom from her words hang in the air a few seconds before speaking again. "You just couldn't get over Sam, could you?"

"What?" Jade said. Now she was surprised.

"You had to let your feelings for Sam get in the way of her and Cat being together!" Carly said.

"You think I did that because I have some petty feelings left over for Sam?" Jade laughed. "Wow, Carly, you really underestimate me."

"Huh?" Carly said, confused.

"I didn't break those two up because I still like Sam." Jade said. "I've been over her for a long time, now."

"Then, why-" Carly began.

"Because, you don't know Cat." Jade said. "I do. And you know Sam better than I ever did or ever will. Do you not know how destructive their relationship can be?"

"What the hell are you getting at, West?" Carly spat, tightening her grip on the buttersock. God, she just wanted to knock Jade in the head already!

"What I'm getting at is Sam is a dangerous person to be with. Cat is too sensitive for Sam's attitude. You've seen her blow up over the littlest of things. Sometimes she loses it for nothing." Jade crossed her arms. "We both know it. _Everyone_ knows it."

"You are so full of shit." Carly said.

"Am I?" Jade asked. "I know you still have that scar on your side."

"Your point?" Carly replied.

"Who gave it to you? How did you get it?" Jade said.

"This isn't about me!" Carly said loudly. "This is about Cat and Sam." She walked up to Jade until the other girl had her back pressed up against the wall. She jabbed a finger in her direction. "You're going to fix whatever the hell you did, and you're going to do it soon. I don't give a shit how, I don't give a shit when. But if you don't find a way quick, you'll have to answer to the buttersock. And the buttersock is not so forgiving."

Without another word, Carly turned away and made her way to the front of the school to meet up with Freddie and Gibby.

**…**

**_That night…_**

_She had her pinned to the bed, kissing her feverishly. The girl beneath her had her fingers tangled in the blonde's hair, coaxing her closer. Sam complied, letting a dark passion fuel her actions._

_"Sam…" the girl moaned. Wait…Missy?_

_Something felt wrong about all of this, but Sam didn't stop. She dipped her head low, placing small kisses on Missy's neck and shoulder. Missy's hips reared when Sam grabbed the edge of her shirt and tugged it up over her head roughly. Still, something didn't feel right. Yet, Sam kept going._

_"Sam, please." Missy's voice was distorted and changing in pitch. And a completely new voice came out of her lips. "Please…"_

_It was Nora's. Sam didn't register the change. Her nails drifted along the side of the body beneath her. She wasn't sure of who to think it was anymore. Her teeth nipped at the pulsing flesh. She felt the darkness building in her, raging in her, waiting to be released._

Stop! _something in her yelled. _You're giving in! Stop!

_There was something nagging at her, trying to reason with her about what she was doing. Sam didn't listen. The nail of her pointer finger curved inward, scraping the skin. She could still hear the moans of whomever she was pleasing but she heard the pain in it, too. She had no control, no restraint. She was in too deep. It was too late._

_"Sam, stop!" That was Carly's voice crying out. Her nail had dug into her side and was moving downward. She heard the screams of pain coming from her best friend._

Look! Look at what you've done! _a voice said to her._

_Sam only pulled her head back. She saw the three familiar faces morphed and mutated together, all twisted into some form of pain. Tears fell down all their faces._

_"Stop crying!" Sam's voice demanded, angry. But…her lips hadn't moved._

_She was looking down at herself. No, it wasn't her. It was the part of her she despised. She could see the dimmed light in her eyes, burning but on the brink of extinguishing. The good in her fading away._

_"Sam, you're hurting me!"_

_"Cat!" Sam cried for the redhead. She saw her now, trapped beneath her other side. "Cat, I'm sorry!"_

_"Stop, please!" Cat's sobs echoed off of invisible walls, resounding in Sam's ears. She wanted to look away and cover her ears, but she couldn't._

This is what you do. _She could hear her own voice speaking to her._ You hurt people. You aren't meant for love. You don't deserve anyone…

"NO!"

Sam shot straight up in her bed. Her heart pounded against her ribcage as she swallowed mouthfuls of air, trying her hardest not to faint. Her head was swimming and she ran from her bed into the bathroom, hanging her head over the toilet and gagging violently. Her body was racked with cold shivers, but she felt irritated heat all over. It was a searing heat, like getting sunburn. She knew she wasn't sick. It was the nightmare that made her nauseous. She got to her feet, gripping onto the basin of the sink to keep her balance. The clock on the wall told her that it was ten at night. Too late to be up, but too soon to try and sleep again. She grabbed her toothbrush off the counter along with the toothpaste and brushed the taste of throw-up out of her mouth. She needed fresh air to clear her head. She left the bathroom and walked out the front door into the crisp night.

Rain drizzled to the ground, splattering lightly on Sam's face and arms as she rested on the railing of her porch. She closed her eyes and sighed. Her temper was evil, she knew. The nightmare only confirmed it. She _was_ too dangerous to be around Cat. She could very well destroy the thing she loves most, just like all the other times before. She didn't know why she'd ended up cursed with such a bad side to her. She wasn't that bad of a person. But her other persona spoke differently. She damned herself, she damned her existence. Such a sweet person adored her, and she could damage her. As much as she hated to admit it, Jade was right. She would never be able to tame herself. She'd only break the leash. She brushed a soft finger along the scars on her arm. She didn't want to cover them. She wanted everyone to knew she was hurting. Carly may have made her promise to never cut and drink again, but that didn't mean she wasn't tempted to. Carly took the blade out of the cabinet and kept it with her. She couldn't touch the alcohol cabinet, but she knew Sam never broke a promise. No matter the risk of it.

Her blue eyes opened and took in the sky above her. Stars peppered the sky and the moon remained off to the side, still not quite full. Sam found comfort in the night. After all, it was as dark as what was inside her. It was the only thing that understood her. She took a deep breath in through her nose, and let it out slowly through her mouth. The sickness that made itself at home in her stomach vanished and she put her head down in her hands. She couldn't survive like this forever. She was lost. So very, very lost.

She could only imagine how Cat felt.

**...**

**Yeah, that was a bit of a crappy ending. *shrugs* Sorry, but I was supposed to be doing homework while writing this. The offer to give me ideas for the next chapters is still open, though! Give me any idea and I'll do my best to work with it! Chapter 14 coming soon!**


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